Desert Heat
by Fraying
Summary: This is NickGreg slash. Read at your own peril. Anyway, this is slightly inspired by a song I like by Maroon 5 called 'Secret.' Hoorah.
1. Chapter 1

They'd been driving for almost 3 hours through the middle of the desert, and Greg could feel the sun penetrating the window and burning his skin. What a case it had been. He didn't think he'd ever understand what went through the minds of some people. He wasn't sure he even wanted to. At this particular moment, he was content just to sit and watch Nick breathe as he drove.

The heat was ridiculous. It was bad enough in the city, but driving in a black truck in the middle of the desert at 2 p.m. was probably the last place on earth he'd ever want to be again. It wasn't all bad, though. He'd been within two feet of Nick for the past 3 hours, and alone with his thoughts due their mutual exhaustion. He was sure words hadn't passed between them since the 'Let's Go Home' that seemed so far away in his memory now. _Let's go home. Yes, let's please go home. Together. So I can peel the clothes off of you and taste the desert on your skin._

It wasn't good when Greg had too much time on his hands, and too much Nick on his mind. Especially considering their close quarters at the moment. He forced his eyes off of Nick, in hopes that the older man wouldn't notice how long he'd been the subject of Greg's undivided attention.

"I want you." The words spilled out of his mouth, and he wasn't sure if he'd actually said them or if the heat had finally gone to his head. He was hoping desperately for the latter to be true.

"What?" Nick snapped out of his dream-like state of consciousness, and turned to look at Greg. He wasn't sure he'd heard what the younger man said. He actually wasn't sure if he'd heard anything at all.

"Huh?" Greg pretended to be surprised. "I didn't say anything." He cleared his throat.

"Are you sure, man?" There was a bead of sweat that danced on his neck when he spoke.

Greg nodded a little too forcefully and for too long. "Yup. I'm sure. Sure as uh-- Yeah, I'm sure."

"You don't get carsick, do you Greg? You want me to pull over? You don't look good."

"Pffft, nah. I'm fine. Good, even. Y'know what? I'm great." He was sure he'd lost his mind, so he closed his mouth and refused to let any more words escape. He was actually starting to feel a little sick now. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. Just shut up._

"Okay then..." Nick looked concerned, but he kept driving. It was fifteen more minutes of awkward silence before he spoke again.

"Hey Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"If I told you that I was madly in love with you and I thought about you for every second that I spend awake in a day, what would you think?"

"What?"

"You heard me." _What the fuck is wrong with me? Why would I say that?_

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? Have you had any liquids today? Because water stops you from getting heat stroke. Do you want some water? I have some in the back that I can get if you want it..." Nick was nervous now, too. He wasn't ready for this to happen today.

Of course he knew about it before. He'd noticed Greg's gaze lasting just a little longer than it should have when they talked. And the way Greg always reported to Nick what he'd found out back when he worked DNA, no matter who else was on the case with him. He'd even reciprocated in the tiniest of ways. But he wasn't ready yet. Not today.

"Greg..."

"Never mind. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--" Greg started, but Nick was already pulling over to the side of the road.

_Fuckfuckfuckfuck... _Greg knew he shouldn't have said anything.

"Look, Greg, I know how you feel about me, and..." _Just tell him you're not interested. Tell him you're straight and you don't dream about him at night and you don't burn your eyes into the back of his head when he's turned away..._

"I said never mind. It's fine. I totally understand, and I..." Greg would have done anything at that moment to erase what he'd said.

"Greg, shut up." And before Greg had time to look hurt or confused, or come up with some sorry excuse for what he'd said, his mouth was full of Nick's.


	2. Chapter 2

_Yup, it's heat stroke. You're out cold, Greg. And that tongue in your mouth isn't really there. You're probably choking on your own tongue. Maybe you should wake up, but--_

_...Nah._

Nick still wasn't sure what he was doing, and it was all he could do to control his own hands. For some reason, they were suddenly at Greg's belt buckle, fumbling and shaking of their own accord. There was no resistance.

And then he was on Greg's seat with him, grinding hard against his hips and the stiffening bulge in his pants, staring hard into the younger man's eyes. He was dazed, breathing hard, and had the slightest hint of a smile spreading over his lips. Greg arched his back a little, and somewhat snapped out of the blissful haze he was enoying being a part of. Then his hands joined in the unconscious effort of undressing, and Nick was suddenly shirtless.

The younger man's mouth found it's way to Nick's again, and he probed the foreign space with his tongue. His hands slid their way desperately down Nick's back and then around to the button of his jeans. He fumbled with the zipper and freed Nick from his constricting denim prison.

And the _heat_. It was suffocating and opressive and _hot_. And it hung in the air between them like an invisible barrier that somehow managed to amplify every sensation.

Their bodies were damp and hot, writhing in the passenger seat of Nick's truck in the middle of the desert. And suddenly the seat was pushed back and there was a struggle with clothes, and they were somehow both naked; Nick straddling Greg and licking a trail over his jawline and down his neck. He made his way slowly down Greg's body, ending up on his knees on the floor of the truck, with almost no room to move. Then he took Greg into his mouth...

-.-.-.-

They were both back in their respective seats, fully clothed and ready to be on the road again. The windows were fogged slightly, and they were both breathing heavily, coming down from an unbelievable high.

"Nick?"

"I thought I told you to shut up." And the Texan smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Okay, so I don't own these people. But oh, the things I would do with them if I did...

A/N: Okay, so this was supposed to be a one chapter thing, but then a very lovely and kind lady told me to write a second. So I did. And then someone else very lovely added this to their alert list, and now I feel obligated to write another one. I just wished I'd titled this something different. It's now vaguely reminiscent of 'Sunburn Sin' (if you picked up on that oh-so-subtle CSI reference, good for you.) and it makes me more than a little insane. I'm sorry for the horrible title, people. Really, I am. I just suck at titles is all. Anyway, enjoy. Or don't. I'm done rambling now.

It had been nearly a week since that horrible desert case and the everything-but-horrible aftermath on the way back to the lab. Things between Nick and Greg now were more than awkward, but neither would go so far as to say they regretted it. Because in all honesty, they still ran through those select few minutes in their heads at every opportunity. It made working together even more difficult than it had been before the incident.

They'd been sitting in the lab for the longest hour of Greg's life, waiting for the mitochondrial DNA results they'd sent away to come through on the fax machine. _And they hadn't said a word. _Merely avoided each others glances and pretended like they were alone in the room. They could hear each other breathing. There was also the incessant noise of Greg's foot tapping the floor. It was annoying both of them, but Greg couldn't stop it from happening.

"Greg, we have to talk eventually." Nick broke the silence, and Greg exhaled, relieved.

"I know we do. I was waiting for you to talk first."

"Oh." And then another ten minutes of silence.

They were the only ones still at the lab. Everyone else had somehow managed to finish their cases and go home early. It was like some higher power was plotting against them; stopping every criminal in Vegas from doing what they did. All they needed was the result back. Even Mia had left, secure in the thought that Greg knew what he was doing in the lab more than anyone else.

Greg sighed.

Nick shifted in his chair.

"Okay, I'm done with this. Was it a mistake? Should I forget about it? Is this nothing?" Greg leaned forward in his chair and looked expectantly at Nick, who seemed spaced out and oblivious to his random exertion of sound. Greg wondered if he'd somehow managed to tune him out. "Nick?"

But Nick was listening. And thinking. Hard. "I don't know."

"Great. You don't know. You seemed fairly sure of yourself when you were shoving your tongue down my throat." Greg sat back in his chair and sighed again, obviously frustrated.

Nick snapped out of his haze at that last comment. "You think this is my fault?" He stood up and walked over to where Greg was sitting. "You were the one professing your undying love for me in the passenger seat."

Greg stood up to meet Nick's gaze. "Excuse me? Were _you _ever going to say anything?"

"What makes you think I feel the same way?" Nick shot back, immediately regretting what he'd said.

Greg opened his mouth to say something, but instead shook his head and stormed out of the lab. _Ouch_. He'd just assumed from Nick's reaction in the desert that he felt the same way.

He walked quickly to the locker room and fought with the door of his locker. "Fuck!" And he slammed it open, denting the locker next to his. He reached in and pulled out his jacket. And then he realized what had just happened. Greg let himself slip down the wall and collapse in an awkward position on the floor.

Nick had heard the bang come from inside the locker room, and he wondered if Greg was okay. On his way there, he tried to think of something to say. When he got there, he saw Greg on the floor, staring with empty eyes into space.

"Greggo," He started.

"Get out," responded the younger man without moving his eyes from where they were set. When Nick just stood there, he said it again, more forcefully.

"No Greg, listen to me. I'm sorry, I-"

Then Greg looked him in the eye and Nick realized the effect of his words. He'd never seen Greg so angry, or _hurt_. "I didn't mean what I said. I need you, Greg. I'm glad you told me how you feel. I never would have been able to say it."

Greg's eye twitched slightly and he looked away from Nick. "You don't mean that. Stop toying with me."

Nick lowered himself to the floor and sat directly across from Greg. Then he grabbed Greg's hand with his own. "I do mean it. Why do you think I've been avoiding you all week?"

"...Because you're an ass?" Greg smiled the tiniest smile and then looked Nick in the eye. "I need you too, Nicky." Then he looked away again and felt Nick's hands on his face.

And their lips met again.

-.-.-.-

A/N: Horribly lovey-dovey, I know; but that's the mood I was in.


End file.
